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IRISH HISTORY, BILLS OF ADRIAN. ETC. 



DEDICATED TO THE FENIANS AND THE 
FRIENDS OF IRELAND. 



"Semper et ubique fid.eles" 
(Always and Everywhere Faithful) 




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GRAND RAPIDS, MICH 

18 82. 



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# Fellow Countrymen as myself exiles and victims of 
credulity and of the tyranical policy of England and her al- 
lies and also you men interested in having the welfare of 
your fellow creature of whatever descent or nationality, I beg 
leave to explain to you the motives that impelled me to com- 
mence those letters of " Niall the Grand," latelely publish- 
ed in the Daily Democrat, and how the ungentlemanly 
misconstruction of the spirit of these letters by "Irish" and 
"Irish-Amicans" caused me instead of treating them with 
neglect, as they deserved, to retaliate in kind. 

In my experience I have met and talked with Irishmen 
who could relate with accuracy the principal incidents of 
English, French, Spanish, German, Russian and even Ro- 
man Grecian, Persian, and Egyptian histories and yet knew 
nothing of their own contry's history, except what they had 
learned from the erroneous fireside legends of old women 
such as the counterfeit prophecies of Columkill, the great 
feats of fames and ghosts, and the battles and conversations 
St. Patrick had with the snakes. These same men can tell 
you the name and merits of every story that has appeared in 
the New York Weekly, the Fireside Companion, etc., dur- 
ing the last ten years. It is a desire to awaken the minds 
of such men to the importance of Irish history that induced me 
to introduce Niall. If they begin to read and study this Irish 
history, they will find it as instructive as any other, and 
more romantic and thrilling than the trash they find in dime 
novels and story papers. Despite all the pains and their 
kindred the Norman-English did to destroy it and the ex- 
tent to which they succeeded, we can still learn from it that 
a people capable of leading the world in arts, science and 
learning may when opposed by cunning fraud, become almost 
the exact opposite of what nature has made them, that cir- 
cumstances move the human mind as wind does the clouds 
and that the more noble and intellectual is the mind the 
more subject it is to bad as well as good influence. 



- KEMARK8. 

Countrymen let us compare Ireland of 1000 or 2000 years 
ago with <>ur sad and forsaken Ireland of the present and 
then see it* flic comparison flatter us. Our fathers a thousand 
years ago lead the world in intellectual advancement, gave 
tuition the necessaries and comforts of life free of charge to 
all that wished to partake of them and our fathers of 2,000 
years ago passed not only learning and civilization, but also 
valour and freedom. They were not afraid to measure 
swords with t\io soldiers of poughty Rome. That power 
invaded and easily conquered England the inhabitants of 
which the Irish, judging from their neutrality, must have 
thought little of, but wheii she attempted the subjugation of 
the Scotch, she was met and failed by Irish valour and met 
no) alone in Scotland, but for her presumption in tampering 
with the lights and the liberty of true celts encountered and 
defeated on her own soil. We may also congratulate our- 
selves on the fact that our christian forefathers were about 
the only people then that practiced Christianity to the letter. 
They discontinued the maxin of treating people according to 
desert, and alas! to tin 1 sorrow of their progeny put in rigid 
practice that of doing good for evil, while their neighbors 
believed in and practiced that and every other Christian pre- 
cept, as far as it enable* 1 them to gain their selfish end by 
deceiving others. Of equal truth is the fact that our fore- 
fathers l.ooo years ago educated and civilized, so far as that 
was possible, the vwy men in the unjust possession of whose 
posterity Ireland is now and has been more or less for the 
last 7<>0 years, while one-half of the rightful heirs driven to 
America, have to keep the other half at home from starving, 
all of which we may contemplate with such emotions as are 
congenial to our dispositions. 

Irish has with other unfounded pet names called me a 
renegade Irishman. If to be a renegade, it /.v necessary for 
one to have the welfare of his native country at heart next to 
that of his family and to give her all the assistance in his 
power, then I accept the term renegade, fore h-eland is next 
to my family in my love and anxiety. 

Oh! Erin, my country, though sad and forsaken, 

1 long to revisit thy sea-beaten shore; 

But, alas! in a far foreign land I awaken, 

And sigh for the friends that can meet me no more. 

i 



If he applies the word on religious grounds, 1 say to him, 
though by no means willing to play the hypocrite, I believe 
myself at least as good a Catholic as he. I have nothing to 
say against the religious portion of Catholicty, it is thecreed 

of every one, belonging to me, the creed I was taught at the 
knees of a loving mother, but with that part of it that has 
become a political machine to the memory of my country, 
its votaries and barter their liberty and their lives, I hold 
no sympaty. When a man combines in his person the 
character of a politician with that of an expounder and in- 
culcator Of Christian precepts and Christian virtues, that is, 
when he uses or rather prostitutes the influence attached to 
his position as moral teacher in gaining his own selfish ob- 
ject or in gratifying his vanity to the detriment of those the 
faithful guardian of whose interests he pretends to be. I 
cannot conscientiously approve of his worldly inclination or 
confide (Moriarty) in his interpretation of christian or moral 
obligations. 

It has been strongly and is now asserted that God wills 
to have Irishmen persecuted stoned and exiled so as to carry 
the Faith to other countries! Brother Irishmen, is it 
your belief that God has created us for this purpose! as vic- 
tims to be sacrificed to the will of a few dozen Englishmen 
who use our God given property in practicing vices for 
which no language has names and so revolting that to all 
save "the Lord of Heaven" that to hear them described 
Causes ones hair to stand straight on end with horror! Oh! 
let us not commit such blasphemy as believing such a damn- 
able theory. If it be so, what a noble end is ours? And do 
we propagate the Faith to any remarkable extent? Yes, the 
faith that Ireland has been hoodwinked move all through 
by her supposed friends than her professed enemy, and this, 
any one taking the trouble of investigating the matter will 
find so unless from prejudice he begins with the firm resolve 
to find it otherwise; but instead of converting heritics they 
lose their own faith and with it their patriotism as they con- 
sider each so blended with the other and locked together in 
the ecclesiastical magic box that it is impossible to retain 
one and discard the other. I have no conception of an in- 
stitution more worthy of veneration than the Catholic 
Church as a theological system, but I feel far differently 



+ REMARKS. 

toward it as a mundane concern "Render to the Lord what 
is the Lord's and to Caesar what is Caesar's."' 

When we see a man who has by vow dedicated himself to 
the service of God, make the commandments of that God 
subservient to the tactics of a pawnbroker or a ward polit- 
cian, I do not understand why we are not justified in the 
eyes of God and of man in renouncing his authority, especi- 
ally the ungodly part of it if we regard our own happiness, 
and wish to preserve our religion from contamination — there 

• ; Is nought so good, but, stained from that fair use, 
Revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse." 

There must be some reason why the valour and the genius 
that have triumphed so in the battles and the cause of strange 
lands have met with such signal, failures in their (McCabe) 
own welfare? There must be some obstacle in the way, and 
until we have removed it it is useless to be agitating Irish 
grievances unless to keep us conscientious of our degrada- 
tion. 

It is not expected these remarks will remove the arbitrary 
despotism of Ireland's real and supposed enemies any more 
effectually than reverse the order of the universe, but still I 
consider it a duty incumbent on me to put a drop in the 
bucket which I hope to, God will soon be filled. I am well 
aware that to be successful in trade a man must not meddle 
with politics or religion, but I prefer principle to profit; 
hence my course in this affair. If my efforts help the cause 
any, I will deem myself well paid for my trouble, if other- 
wise, I can rest satisfied with having done what I think is 
my duty and what I know to be right. (Sursum corda) be 
not disheartened. 

The Author. 



THE BULL OF ADRIAN IV. 



' ' Adrian, bishop, servants of the servants of God, to his 
dearest ran in Christ, the illustrious King of England, 
greeting, and apostolical benedictions:" 

Full laud&bly and profitably hath your magnificence con- 
ceived the design of propagating your glorious renown on 
earth, and completing your reward of eternal happiness in 
heaven; while, as a Catholic prince, you are intent on en- 
larging the borders of the Church, teaching the truth of the 
Christian faith to the ignorant and rude, exterpating the root 
of vice from the fields of the Lord, and for the more conve- 
nient execution of this purpose, requiring the counsel and 
favour of the apostolicsee, in which the maturer your 
deliberation and the greater the discretion of your procedure, 
by so much the happier we trust will be your progress, with 
the assistance of the Lord, as all things are used to come to 
a prosperous end and issue, which take their beginning from 
the ordour of faith and the love of religion. 

There is indeed no doubt, but that England and all the 
islands on which Christ, the son of righteousness, hath 
shone, and which have received the doctrine of the Christian 
faith, do belong to the jurisdiction of St. Peter, and the holy 
Roman church, as your excellency also doth acknowledge; 
and therefore we are the more solicitous to propagate the 
righteous plantation of faith in this land, and the branch 
acceptable to God, as we have the secret conviction of con- 
science that this is more especially our bounden duty. You. 
then, my dear son in Christ, have signified to us your de- 
sire to enter into the island of Ireland, in order to reduce 
the island to obedience under the laws, and to exterpate the 
plants of vice; and that you are willing to pay from each a 
yearly pension of one penny to St. Peter, and that you will 
preserve the nghts of the churches, of this land, whole and 
inviolate. We, therefore, with that grace and acceptance 
suited to your pious and laubable design, and favorably ;is 
senting to your petition do hold it good and acceptable, that 



MALI. THE GRAND. 



for extending the borders of the Church, restraining the pro- 
gress of vice, for the correction of manners, the planting of 
virtue, and the increase of religion, yon enter the island, and 
execute therein whatever shall pertain to the honor of God 
and welfare of the land; and that the people of this land re- 
ceive you honorable, and reverence you as their lord, the 
rights of their churches still remaining sacred and inviolate 
and saving to St. Peter the annual pension of one penny 
from every house. 

If then you be resolved to carry the design you have con- 
ceived into effectual execution, study to form this nation to 
virtue and manners, and labor by yourself and others you 
shall judge meet for this work, in faith, word and life that 
the Church may be there adorned, that the religion of the 
Christian faith may be planted and grow up and that salva- 
tion of souls be so ordered, that you maybe entitled to the 
fullness of heavenly reward from God, and obtain a glorious 
renown on earth throughout all ages. Given at Rome in 
the year of salvation, 1166. (O'Hallpra Hist, of Ireland, 
Page 305.) 

England has always acted from self-interest, She has at 
all times endeavored rather to change the mode of persecu- 
tion that to desist from worrying her victim. * * Ireland, 
rich in soil and blooming in culture, was made a prey to 
every species of tyranny and despotism, until her fertile 
plains resembled a chamel house from the executioner. ::; * 
In short, the 'annals of the world exhibit no paradel to the 
cruelty and perfidy by which England established her power 
in Ireland. Bishop England. 

No government, whether Christian, Mohamedan or 
Pagan, was ever sullied with more crime, or marked with 
more utter baseness, adroit diplomacy, low intrique, base 
selfishness, insatiate rapacity, open treachery, high-handed 
spoliation and robbery. Cold-blooded cruelty and persecu- 
tion, and downright butchery have ever marked the policy 
of England toward Ireland. 

A RCHBISHOP SPATJLDING. 

Martial law for the people, gold for the senate, a bayonet 
tor the patriot who loved Ireland, and a bribe for the traitor 
who did not. Archb'p Hughes. 

The King of England, finding himself unable to reduce 



" MALI. THE GRAND." 7 

Ireland by force of arms, had resourse to every stratagem, 
even to religion, to conquer this kingdom. 

Westmonasteriensir say, that he solicited, through a sol- 
emn embassy, the new Pope Adrian, (confident of obtaining 
it of him, as he was an Englishman) for leave to enter Ire- 
land in a hostile manner, to subjucate it. It is alleged, that 
he represented to him that religion was almost extinct in the 
country, that the morals of the people were corrupted, and 
that it was necessary to remedy it, for the glory of Christi- 
anity. 

In his zeal, he offered to become an apostle for that end, 
on condition that his holiness would grant him the sover- 
eignty of the island, and also promised to pay Peter's pence 
for every house. The Pope, who was born his subject, 
readly granted him (Henry) his request; and the 
liberty of an entire nation was sacrificed to the ambition of 
one through the complaisance of the other. Like an able 
state ;man, Henry wated at favorable opportunity to carry his 
project in to execution. This presented itself in a civil war 
that broke out between the monarch and the king of Lein- 
ster, of which he took advantage to begin his mission; and 
although, according to the law of God, it is not by dispon- 
ing our neighbor of his property that we should convert him, 
still the missionaries whom Hemy II employed were men 
with arms in their hands, and more intent upon converting 
the land to their own use, to the prejudice of the old propri- 
etors, than gaining souls to God. 

(McGoeghegan and Mitchell's history of Ireland. P. 257, 
Chap. XVI. 

AUTHORITIES ON THE BULLS. 

If it should be enquired in this place upon what account 
Diarmuid, king of Leinster, chose to commit himself and his 
affairs under the protection of the king of England, rather 
than to the king of France, it must be understood that 
Donough, the son of Bryen Borroimhe, was a prince very 
unacceptable to the principal nobility of Ireland, who, rather 
than pay obedience, unanimously came to a revolution to 
make a present of the whole island to Urbanus II, Pope of 
Rome, which was done in the year of our redemption, 1092; 
so that by this donation the popes laid claim to the so\j?r- 



NT ALL THE GRAND. 



entity of Ireland, which they executed so far as to govern 
the nobility and clergy by wholesome laws, and to establish 
a regular discipline in the church. And the Popes main- 
tained this authority till Adrian, the fourth of that name, sat 
in St. Peter's chair, which was in the year of our Lord, 
1154. This pope was an Englishman by decent, and his 
original name was Nicholas Brusber or breakspeire. 

Stone, the English annalist, asserts in his chronicle, that 
this Pope bestowed the kingdom of Ireland upon Henry II 
in the first year of his reign and anna Dominio, 1154. 

lie also relates, that this donation was conferred upon the 
king, on condition that he would revive the profession of 
the christian faith, which was dead throughout the island; 
that he should polish ('.) the rude manners of the people {'.) 
defend and restore the rights and revenues of the church and 
clergy, and take especial care that every inhabited house in 
the kingdom, should pay annually one penny to the Pope, 
under the name of St. Peter's penny. 

This grand of the Kingdom of Ireland to Henry, was 
drawn up in writing, which, when lie received, he sent 
.John, bishop of Satisbury, with this instrument of the 
Pope's donation into Ireland. Upon his landing at Water- 
ford, he sent to the bishops and the principle clergy of the 
island, and gave them an account of his commission. 

They attended upon him at Waterford, when he published 
the pope's grant of the Kingdom of Ireland to Henry the II, 
King of England, with the conditions to be performed on 
his part, and by all who succeeded in that crown. The 
clergy took the matter into consideration, and after some de- 
bates an instrument was drawn up, which contained their 
absolute submission to this donation of the Pope, and to this 
they all unanimously subscribed. 

The Bishop returned with this confirmation of the Pope's 
grant by the clergy of Ireland, and the king'of England sent 
the same prelate with the instrument to the pope, who was 
well pleased with the submission of the Irish clergy, and 
sent a ring to king Henry, as a confirmation of his former 
grant, by which he was established in the possession of the 
Irish ( Yown. 

Bellarnine/an eminent cardinal, agrees with this account, 
in a part of his work, are these words: u Adrian IV, Pope 



" MAI. I. THE i.KANH. 9 

"of Rome, by birth an Englishman, a wise and pious man, 
"hath granted the island of Ireland to Henry II, king of 
"'England, upon condition that he propagates virtues in that 
"island, and extirpates vice; that he takes care that one pen- 
ally be paid yearly to St. Peter by every house, and that he 
"perserves the rights of the church inviolable: the diploma 
"is extant in the 12th volume of Cardinal Baronius." 

Stanehurst, in his chronicle, asserts the same thing, where 
he gives the account that Henry II, king of England, pro- 
cured a Bull from Adrian, Pope of Rome, which enjoined 
the clergy of Ireland, and likewise the nobility of the king- 
dom, to pay obedience to Henry II, upon the conditions and 
under the restrictions herein contained. The same author 
likewise relates, that Alexander III sent a cardinal (whose 
name was Vivian) into Ireland, to inform the subjects of 
that kingdom to the grant that he and the precedent Pope 
made of that kingdem to Henry II, king of England; by the 
tenor of which that crown was confirmed to Henry and his 
successors, upon condition of paying to himself and his suc- 
cessors in St. Peter's chair, a yearly tribute of a penny from 
every inhabited house throughout the island. 

It appears therefore, that the reasons why Diarmuid, king 
of Leinster, applied to the king of England rather than any 
other prince, was because the king of England laid claim to 
the kingdom of Ireland, by virtue of the donation from the 
popes above mentioned; and therefor that king had power, 
by his superior authority, to adjust the pretences of the 
princes of Ireland, and to engage in their disputes, and con- 
sequently to interpose in the quarrels of the king of Leinster, 
and settle him in the possession of that province.' 1 (Butler's 
history of Ireland, p. 301-305.) 

Adrian IV, the Pontiff, who authorized Henry of England, 
to annex Ireland to his crown, died by swallowing a fly in a 
cup of Water. (Walsh's eccles, History of Ireland, p. 109.) 

Pope Adrian, the Fourth, in the second year of his Pon- 
tificote 1155, granted to Henry the Second of Ireland, a Pull 
authorizing the invasion of Ireland. The authenticity of 
that Bull is now universally admitted. (T. D. McGee's 
History of Ireland, p. 136, Chap. 4, Book 3, Vol. I. ) 

The Irish princes did not act, unfortunately, that indepen- 
dent part which became men who lived in this crisis oftheir 



In "niall the gband." 

country's affairs. Divided atnon^ themselves and submis- 
sive to the ordinances of the church, while we revere their 
feelings as christians, we cannot but deplore their conduct 
and tame submission as freemen. (Moonev History of Ire- 
land, p. 564.) 

Note. T. Mooney's lectures, called Irish History, written in 1845, under the aus- 
pices of the clergy of New York and others, he only casts doubts on the Bulls, 
but confesses they were read nt the Synod of Casbel. (Se-: page 5H1.) 



ST. PATRICK'S DAY. 
Editor^ Daily Democrat. 

Sirs: — It seems as if our Irish fellow citizens are forget- 
ting- to make any preparation to celebrate the anniversary of 
St. Patrick. Have they come to the conclusion that there 
was no such person? That the whole business was an in- 
trigue of Rome, to annul the interests of the African church 
which was then (432) established in Ireland by Peladsius? 
It is very true there are sixty-three histories extant on this 
saint and now in the libraries of Cambridge and Oxford. 
Not one of the writers dare say where he was born; what 
country he could claim as his own, or how old he was when 
he died. Korean any give any proof that he ever dreamed 
of Ireland or the Irish people, as is related of him in his vi 
sion (Vox Hibernijersium). Or that he did actually conse- 
crate 365 bishops, one for every day in the year,, and 3,000 
priests. It is light on this subject which we want. On that 
day to celebrate let us have a fine concert or lecture and send 
the proceeds to feed some of the poor of Ireland. A good 
lecture would afford instruction and the money would help 
to feed the starving. Niall the Grand. 



(An answer to Niall the Grand.) 
ST. PATRICK'S DAY. 

Editors Daily Democrat. 

In reply to "Niall the Grand," I would say that "our 
Irish fellow citizens" have not forgotten to consider the ad- 
visability of celebrating on the 17th of March. They have 
not come to the conclusion that St. Patrick never existed; 
all Christians believe that he introduced the Christian reli- 
gion into Ireland; even though according to the authorities 
quoted by "Niall the Grand," there may be some doubt as 



" NIALL THE GRAND." 11 

to the exact date of both the birth and death of Ireland's 
apostle. 

With regard to the manner of celebrating the anniversary 
of St. Patrick, why should he suggest any fine concert, etc. , 
until he has time to read the works of some other historians 
besides the 63 he mentioned, he might then be able to let 
his "Irish fellow citizens" know when and how to celebrate. 
If he has any idea that his "Irish fellow citizens" are neg- 
lecting their duty to the land of St. Patrick's vision (Vox 
Hibernijersium) I would inform him that they forwarded 
nearly five hundred dollars last week in addition to what 
they had already sent to assist their struggling brothers in 
Ireland, and intend to continue the good work in spite of 
the sneers of the "Grand Niall." If he has any suggestions 
to make with regard to the celebration he seems so anxious 
to take place, he can present them either personally or by 
proxy at the next meeting of the only thorough Irish organi- 
zation in this city, viz: the Land League. 

' ' Irtsh American. " 



("Mai's" answer.) 
MALL THE GEANI). 



ST. PATRICK AND THE DAY WE CELEBRATE. 

Editors Daily Democrat. 

The old saying is, those the gods wish to destroy they first 
make mad. My suggestion thrown out as to the apparent 
negligence of our Irish fellow-citizens was in the most friend- 
ly spirt; still I am charged with sneering at the day we are 
going to celebrate. Are we to wait and consult my friend, 
"Irish American," before we venture to mention or question 
the powers that be? O, ye gods! my letter made no refer- 
ence to that good organization, the land league, the mem- 
bers of which it is an honor to be acquainted with ; still I do 
not like to see them boasting of their charity. Did "Irish 
American" contribute $5 to it? I think not. But to return 
to St. Patrick: The reader will see your correspondent only 
believes like the rest, and so without knowing he is happy 
in the delusion . I think there is not another country on the 
face of the earth who had more of this religion preached to 
them and profited less. Let me. draw your attention to a 



12 >w MAI. I. THE i;i!A.MI." 

few facts: The missionaries of the fourth century not only 
preached, but founded churches and colleges in Ireland. 
Among the names of these men are Holy Diana, Heber, 
founder of an academy at Big-lire in Lanster; St. Kieran 
and St. Declan also preceded St. Patrick and founded 
churches. Ibarris protested against giving the supremacy 
and patronage of Ireland to any one but a native. Enough! 
St. Patrick did not introduce religion in Ireland. But let 
ns see how much social happiness Ireland enjoyed since her 
connection with Rome. Ireland was free and happy; it was 
a land of milk and honey before her connection with that 
power. But in the 348 years between the arrival of the so- 
called St. Patrick and the Danish invasion (770), when the 
Danes came the Irish did not know how to defend them- 
selves from a handful of pirates, allowing them to destroy 
the colleges and churches, and so fallen were we that we did 
not know the use of arms. We suffered themost galling and 
degraded slavery. 

Do you forget the nose tax in default of the money tribute 
to be paid to the Danes? Oh yes, why was not the Irish of 
this date united? I will save you the mortification, you 
paid to much attention to the mandates of Rome. 

But if you Irish American will give a little more attention 
to the history of Ireland, he will see that the church is part- 
ly responsible for Ireland's slavery. Let me draw his 
attention to the bulls which were issued at different times 
from Rome, for instances Adrian IV. to Henry II. When 
Bruce lad the Scottish and Irish army, the pope lent his aid 
to the English, for we see O'Neill, Prince Tyrone, making 
the following remonstrance, year 1318: "It is with difficulty 
we can bring ourselves to believe that the biting and ve- 
calumnies with which we are all who espose our cause have 
been invariably assailed by the English, should have found 
admittance also into the mind of your holiness." (OTIallaran, 
p. 50, second div., chap. 1*. ) .1. PVost, (vol. 2, page 281). 
Speaking of the conquest of Ireland by Henry, having ob- 
tained a papal bull, etc. Sherlock — (page, .33) says Pope 
Adrian granted to Henry a license to invade and convert 
Ireland. Is it not time that Irishmen should be honest 
enough to lay the cause of their misery to where it properly 
belongs? I hold our present state of slavery is as much to 



" NIAI.l. THE GRAND." ID 

be charged to the church, as tothe English, and until Irish- 
men realize the fact it is the honest conviction of your corre- 
spondent that this shall continue. With many thanks for 
your valuable space, I remain yours. 

Niall the Grand. 



IRISH" VS. "NIALL TIIK GRAND." 



ANOTHER correspondent takes a HAND [N the game. 
Editors Daily Democrat. 

Grand Rapids, Feb. 24, 1882.— Sirs:— Will you please 
permit me to say, for the gratification of this newly fledged 
genius, "Niall the Grand," who has been figuring in the 
Democrat within the past few days, how thankful, oh ! how 
very thankful, the Irish people of Grand Rapids are for this 
noble conduct in thus demonstrating to them the wickedness 
of their ways by wilfully remaining in ignorance. And yet, 
look at the perversity of those victims of Rome, for a great 
many of them have the ingratitude to say to their would-be 
benefactor that the proffered advice smells badly. And, 
yet more wicked, they say it is rather late in this, the Nine- 
teenth century, to pay any attention to the ranting tirade of 
this most illustrious authority, who tells them that when 
"the Danes came the Irish were not able to defend them- 
selves from a handful of pirates.' 1 Well, for once, we will be 
honest and say we were not able to defend ourselves; and 
why? Not as the great Niall would imply, but because the 
great Niall would imply, but because there were then, as 
now, traitors and renegades, who professed to be our friends, 
ready and willing to do the dirty work of our enemies. 
More "wickedness 1 " still, for they add that there are some 
of the posterity of those same traitors and knaves in Grand 
Rapids to-day. "Most noble Niall," T pity you, after such 
abnegation, self-sacrifice and trouble on your part, to be 
subject to such treatment from such "Rome-ridden slaves" 
as you say the Irish arc 

And a word in conclusion. It is the opinion of a number 
of people in this city, that the sooner you take your exit out 
of the public view as a historian and lecturer of tin; Irish 
people, the better, for it is proved a doubt by your own 
( pi otati on of history that either you or history — -or perhaps 



14 " MALI. THE GRAND. 

both — are wrong. So that, before you take to yourself the 
liberty of correcting "Irish American," you ought to become 
more authentic yourself. You say that Henry obtained a 
papal bull or license to invade and convert Ireland from 
Pope Adrian. Now it has been proved beyond the shadow 
of a doubt that Henry never attempted to establish that lie 
had received such authority till long after the pope's death, 
and why? Because such authority never existed. 

And now permit me to add that, as the Irish people have 
long since formed their opinion in regard to their religion 
and country, and as they are said to be a perverse people, 
it will take a more learned and logical authority than the 
celebrated Niall the Grand to change them, for I think he 
might be reasonably suspected of being a traducer of both. 
I am. sir, etc., Irish. 



"NIALL THE (IRANI) AGAIN." 



HE REPLIES PROMPTLY TO THE STRICTURES OK "IRISH. 

Editors Daily Democrat. 

Grand Rapids, Feb., 25. — Sirs: Niall the Grand has re- 
ceived another shot from "Irish." Irish-American is hors 
de combat, so now I have only to deal with ignorant 
"Irish." I say ignorant, because lie has not proven me 
wrong, nor did he have the intelligence to make any state- 
ments contradict one single assertion of Niall the Grand. He 
is, like a great many, satisfied if a priest or Catholic writer 
denies anything it must be so. I thank him for his advice 
to leave the lecture and historical field, but before I drop 
this subject I will teach him more than he ever knew. You 
will notice he makes the bold assertion that Henry the Sec- 
ond did not receive a bull from Pope Adrian, the spurious 
son of a fallen priest, and a beggar. (Lives of the Popes.) 
A scholar by charity, educated by Maurice O'Garman, a 
professor in Paris. Irish does not believe in this bull of 
Adrian. Oh, no! My authorities are G. Cambensis, chap- 
lin to Henry, Dr. Leland, Dr. O'Connor, O'Halloran and 
T. Moore. But to make sure, doubly sure, here is Pope 
Alexander Ill's bull, which will speak for itself and confirms 
Adrian's bull, and is as follows: 

"Alexander, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to his 



" MALI. THE GRAND." 1 ."> 

dear son in Christ, the illustrious king of England, health 
and apostolical benediction: 

"For as much as these tilings which have been on good 
reasons granted by our predecessors, deserve to be confirm- 
ed in the fullest manner; and considering the grant of the 
dominion of the realm of Ireland by the venerable Pope 
Adrian, we, pursuing his footsteps, do ratify and confirm 
the same, (reserving to St. Peter and to the holy Roman 
church, as well in England as in Ireland, the yearly pension 
of one penny from every house) provided that the abomina- 
tions of the land being removed, that barbarous people. 
Christians, only in name, may, by your means, be reformed, 
and their lives and conversation mended, so that their dis- 
ordered church being thus reduced to regular discipline, that 
nation may, with the name of Christians, be so in act and 
deed. Given at Home, in the year of salvation 1172."" 

How much it restrained the hands of the Irish, not only 
upon this, but upon future occasions, we may infer from the 
following remarkable words in a memorial fromO'lSeil, king 
of Ulster, presented in 1330, to John XXII, pope of Rome, 
in the name of the Irish people: 

1 'During the course of so many ages (three thousand 
years), our sovereigns preserved the independence of their 
country. Attacked more than once by foreign powers, they 
wanted neither force nor courage to repel the bold invaders; 
but that which they dared to do against force, they could 
not against the simple decree of your predecessors." Adrian, 
etc. 

I quote the following from John Q. Adams' address in the 
American house of representatives in 1845-6: "The pope was 
in the custom ofgivingaway not only all barbarous countries, 
with their inhabitants, but at times civilized countries too. 
He dethroned sovereigns, laid their kingdom under intardict, 
and excommunicated them; and all this was submitted to. 
And the government of Great Britan at this day holds 
Ireland by no other title. Three hundred years before the 
grant of America to Ferdinand and Isabella, Pope Adrian 
gave Ireland to Henry the Second of England, and England 
holds the island by that title now, unless indeed, she sets up 
another title by conquest; but Ireland, if in form conquered, 
has been in almost perpetual rebellion ever since. England 



16 " N1ALL THE GRAND." 

has been obliged to reconquer her some half-dozen times, 
and if she means to do it again now, she must begin soon. 
The question lias been raised whether Ireland shall be inde- 
pendent, and if we get into a war it will be a pretty serious 
matter for England to maintain her title. 1 * We find a bull 
against the British in favor of William the Conqueror in 
1066, one in 1311, and a bull of Pope Lucius in favor of 
John dimming, who was elected archbishop of Dublin 11 so 
(O'Halloran, a "Roman Catholic write]-, 2d Div., p. 33). 

Oh, Mr. Editor. [ am full of those Irish bulls. I have 
another shot at "Irish." I hope to destroy his mean bigotry. 
I will hand you the black list of Irish bishops, priests and 
layman, names very common in our city directory, as you 
will see; not one of the name of your correspondent is to be 
found in the infamous record. I will also give you the 
names of the traitors from FitzPatrick of Ossory, 1014. to 
Bishop Moriarity of Kerry. 

In conclusion, Mr. Editor, I am still asking, as I did in 
my first letter, will some one, who knows, tell me if St. Pa- 
trick ever lived? The learned Doctor Ledwich, in his An- 
tiquities of Ireland, says he did not live. Ussher, Camden, 
Ware. Harris, O'Connor, 0' Flaherty, Irish-American, Irish 
and many others would like to know as well as 

Nr.M.T. THE (tRAXI). 



"IRISH" VS. -X1ALL THE (IRANI)." 

MORE ABOUT THE BOGUS BULL ok POPE ADRIAN. 

Fjlihifx Daily Democrat. 

Grand Rapids, Feb. 27. 1882. -Sirs: In reply to the 
latest scurrilous jwoduction of Xiall the Grand, I would beg 
to say that only for the shameful and deliberate misstate- 
ments put forward, I would consider such "billingsgate" be- 
neath notice. lie says he has received another shot from 
"ignorant Irish." Most noble victim! When Irish shoots 
tie prefers shooting at something besides a shadow. Again 
he tells me that before he is done with this matter that he 
will teach me more than T ever knew. Halt Niall! you have 
done so already; for you have proved beyond doubt that no 
falsehood is too glaring, no mire too filthy for a renegade 
Irishman to indulge and crawl in. 



" MALI. I Mi: GRAND." 1 7 

But to come to the point, behold the virtuous surprise of 
the august Niall at my denying the bull which it is alleged 
Henry received from Pope Adrian. I would here remark 
with regard to the foul-mouthed calumny of this model wri- 
ter, in reference to the holy pontiff, that the assertion is as 
false as the audacity and malignity of Niall the Grand which 
make it, fori defy him to point it out in the Lives of the 
Popes. But to return again, 1 do deny it and have the best 
authority for doing so. And here let me draw the attention 
of the reader to the vacillating nature of this wonderful wri- 
ter. First, lie proposed proving the authenticity of the ori- 
ginal bull. Does he do so? No. But he comes out with a 
flourish, and quotes one alleged to have been obtained years 
afterwards, and from a different source. But more of that 



anon. 



Now, if the most learned Niall has read all the history 
which he says he has, he should have been in a position to 
give the date of this famous document. But no, he don't: 
nor neither do any of the celebrated authorities which he 
gives us. No, Niall, neither does any one historian, and 
why? For the very good reason that there never was any 
date to it. However, Francis Page, Rymer and others al- 
lege it was obtained in 1154; but this is incorrect, for Henry 
was crowned Dec. 19, 1154, and consequently could not 
have received it in that year. Of course 1 do not deny that 
a document of the kind did exist. What I do deny is the 
genuineness of it, and I will give him my authority by-and- 
by. In the first place, as I remarked, the bull was never 
dated; again, if Henry was so anxious to obtain it in order 
to convert Ireland, it is singular that he should wait till long 
after the pope's death to prevent his credentials to the Irish 
people. Yet, it is alleged that this precious apistle was ob- 
tained in 1151, and it never saw the light of day till 1 174, 
and it was only when his ( Henry's) authority was annihilated 
in Ireland, when this "hidden treasure" was held up to the 
gaze of the "ignorant Irish." So, so, Niall. 

Now, will you condescend to listen to what McGeoghey- 
an's and Mitchell's 'Ireland 1 say;! "In truth, were we to 
considerthe circumstances and motives of the bull, it has all 
the appearance of a fictitious one." (Page 24(\). More 
authority, Niall; just listen to what the same says of this 



IS •• MALI. THE GB WD." 

same bull, and the one which you intend should demolish 
'ignorant Irish:' "These bulls have all the appearance of 
forgery. They are not to be met with in any collection. It 
appears also that Henry II. considered them so insuffici- 
ent to strengthen his dominion in Ireland that he solicited 
Pope Lucius TIL, who succeded Alexander, to confirm 
them," hut that pope was too just to authorize his usurpation 
and paid no attention to a considerable sum of money sent 
him." ( Page 250). 

Now, I would direct the attention of the reader to the ab- 
surdity of \\iall the Grand,' in the first place asking the 
Irishmen of Grand Rapids to celebrate the feast of St. Pa- 
trick, and in the same breath ask Irish American or ignor- 
ant Irish to prove that there was such a man. Now the idea 
is so foolish that 'Niall' might just as well ask me to prove 
that one and one make two, or that there were such places 
as America or Ireland. There is not a man in Ireland but 
believes it, and unless I am much mistaken there was a day 
when the skeptical Niall the Grand believed so to, but as for 
the change. If that is not enough we have tradition hand- 
ing it down to us. Yes. and we have the Catholic church, 
the oldest and most reliable historian to all. She celebrates 
a feast in his honor. Again, we have her bishops and 
priests who read a special office in the mass of that day. 
What a lot of tools all those learned men must be to be prac- 
ticing devotion in honor of a saint who never existed! Niall 
says he did not; but Usher, Ware, Colgan, Dr. Lanegan and 
the Four Masters say he did. I leave to the public to judge 
whether \iall the Grand or they are the best authority. 

Xow in conclusion this mighty Xiall tells us because we 
are bound to Koine we are ami will be slaves so long as we 
keep up the connection. Most glorious Mall, what a won- 
derful prophet you are! You seem to forget our history be- 
gan with Christianity; our glories were all intertwined with 
our religion; our national banner wa's incribed with the em- 
blem of faith, "the green immortal shamrock." The bright- 
est names in our history were all associated with our reli- 
gion; Malachi dying in the midst of the monks, and clothed 
with their holy habit; Brian, 'the great king,' upholding the 
crucifix before his army on the morning of Clontarf, and 
expiring in its embraces before sunset. All those would 



•• MAI. I. THIS GRAND. l!t 

Niall have us forget and become recreant to, like himself. 
Pardon me, Mr. Editor, I've trespassed too much ; 1 shall 
not trouble you again. And as I now take leave of this 
modern luminary, Niall, I'll quote for him an adage from 
one of the old classic writers, which says: "Let the cobbler 
stick to his last and the tailor to his goose." That this is ap- 
propriate in the present ease is the opinion of 

Yours, sincerely, luisu. 



A NEW HAND AT THE BELLOWS. 



.1. B. REVIEWS 'NIALL THE GRAND, ' 'HUSH' AND 'IRISH AMIRICAN.' 

Editors Daily Democrat. 

* 
Sirs: Tn your issues of the 21st, 23d, 25th and 26th there 

appeared communications under different nom cle plumes of 
'Niall the Grand,' 'Irish American' and 'Irish.' These 
gentlemen seem to think all they have said and written on 
this subject is the end, and that we must perfect our happi- 
ness by creating disunion and doubt. All Christendom be- 
lieves the early writers mentioned, and even the authorities 
of Niall the Grand are all sufficient to prove that St. Patrick 
was the second bishop sent from Rome as primate to Ire- 
land. (Usher Church Hist, chap. 16, p. suit. | 

Protestant and Catholic alike look with contempt on any 
one who wants to destroy the faith and nationality of the 
people. A free manly discussion of any question relating to 
religion or one's history should be above meaness; men 
should not forget that they owe it to their neighbors to be 
dignified in talking, writing and dealing with their fellow- 
men. I hope I will satisfy Niall the Grand that Ireland not 
only had one St. Patrick but two. 

The principal authors of the life of St. Patrick are Saint 
Secumdinus, or Seaghin, bishop of Domack Sechmald, now 
Donseachlin, in Meath; he was a diciple of the saint, and 
his nephew by his sister Darerca, and composed hymns in 
honor of his master, which may be seen in Colgan. 

St. Loman, his diciple, and nephew by his sister Kigrid. 
Bishop of Athrum, now Trim, in Meath; St. Mel, dishop of 
Ordach, his disciple and nephew, also, brother of St, Secun- 



20 vv M M.I. THE GRAND. 

dinus; and a second St. Patrick, to whom the saint gave his 
own name, holding him over the bastismal font; all three 
wrote the acts of his life. The last, after the death of his 
uncle, retired to the abbey of Glastonbury in Somersetshire 
in England, where he ended his days. 

Saint Benignus, who succeeded St. Patrick in the see of 
Ardmach, is reckoned among the authors of his life. 

Those four lives, says Jocelin, were written partly in 
Irish and partly in Latin, by his four diciples, St. Benignus 
his successor, St. Mel and St. Loman, bishops, and St. Pat- 
rick, his godson."— (Mitchell's History oi Ireland, Part2nd, 
chap. !», page 141. ) 

St. Patrick, according to Usher, was a native of North 
Britain, lie was born at a place now called Kirk Patrick, 
not far from the city of ( Glasgow, in the year A. D. 372. 
(Fitzgerald History of Limerick, vol. I, page 124.) 

1 will refer my friend Niall the Grand to Gidas. a disciple 
of St. Patrick, and one of the most ancient British historians 
who is said to have presided over the college of Arnaugh, 
founded by St. Patrick. Among its students were Swith- 
bert, the apostle of Westphalia; Willibrod, archbishop of 
Utrecht; Zeargall, the philosopher and mathematician, 
known as Virgil. Even Doctor Hedwich, quoted by Niall 
expresses his astonishment at the advances learning had 
made in Ireland in the fifth and sixth centuries. 

Oh! dear IsTiall, there are two sides to history. I prefer 
to look at tlu- brightest side. I hope you will give us some- 
thing which will please and instruct; something that will 
unite us in the love of religion and nationality. As you are 
aware, disunity is and has been the curse of our race. 
Devote your historical knowledge to picturing Ireland in the 
days of her greatness; cement together all who would fall 
away in doubt. We have a grand old record, a proud his- 
tory, older than the Gospel. Tf our people in the hour of 
temptation faltered, you must remember the words of our 
Lord, "Forgive them. Father, they know not what they do.' 
Irish American, stop your scribbling; go on with the good 
work of helping the good Christian man. Parnell, in his no- 
ble work. 'Irish.' T am sure, will never be found to protect 
what is right, Xever will a true Irishman forget the land 
of learning. What land can look at such a bright past in 



• v MALI. THE GRAND." 21 

all her gloom and in all her confession? She has given to 
the world men and women who adorned every walk in life, 
and add new luster to our religion and country. 

[leaders, tins year, it grieves my heart to tell 
In battle three relations nobly tell. 
Fighting for king, religion, country, laws 
Angels and men approve the glorious cause; 
Their mangled sides exhibiting to view 
The Virgin's white, the Martyr's purple hue. 
Well may the herald's emblematic lore 
Their bright achievements blazon o'er and o'er 
With dew-dropt lilies in a purple stream; 
Marble, immortalize each hero's name. 

Sindody. 
J. R. 



XIALL VS. IRISH." 



ANOTHEK RED HOT BLAST ON THE 'BOGUS BULL BUSINESS. 

Editor* Daily Democrat. 

March 1, 1882: — Sirs — In yours of this morning's issue, 
appears the last of the correspondent 'Irish.' The lying fool 
did not give one single authority in contradiction of those 
'bugus' bulls in question. It is very evident he is mad, be- 
cause he can not write in the spirit of his Irish Christianity. 
It wants another St. Patrick to convert this champion of 
the church. He as well as Niall knows the bull in question 
was issued in 1156, but he has not the spirit of truth or ho- 
nor to say so. Oh! 'Mi-. Irish,' give us something worthy of 
your race, and if the heavens fall, truth will still prevail. 
Your heart says you should speak the truth, but your 
cowardly tongue will flip. < >h, what a fallen thing man is, 
when he for any consideration bartens away his manhood to 
the ] towers that be. He quotes MacGeoghegan, now that 
MacGeoghegan was a priest, and he knowing full well that 
those bulls would come in judgment and confound the peo- 
ple of Ireland, so he cast some doubts (intentionally) on 
them. 

Irish charges me with being foul mouthed with audacity, 
malignity, calumny and misargument. I could say the same 
of him, but I do not want, to use such language to any man, 
when expressing his opinion even if he is in error. 



z'l '• XI AI.l. THE GRAND. 

I now draw his attention to the falsity of his charges 
against me, and 1 will annull his cliallenge as [to the truth 
of the statement in reference to this Adrian. Your attention, 
[rish, to the following from S. ( ). Halloran's (Catholic wri- 
ter,) History of Ireland, book XIII. chap. 3d, "page 307, and 
is as follows: 

"The validity of these bulls I think cannot be doubted; it 
only remains to know how they were procured, and why 
bulls granted at such distances from each other, and for the 
same purpose, should appear at one and the same time? 

Tins investigation will be at the same time a refutation of 
the argument offered against them. Adrian was by birth an 
Englishman, the spurious offspring of a priest; deserted by 
his hither, he repaired to Paris, and was there instructed in 
philosophy and divinity, by Marianus O'Grorman, profes- 
sor of the seven liberal sciences (so he is styled,) as he him- 
self acknowledges. In 1154 lie was raised to the pontificate: 
and some time after Henry TI. was proclaimed king of Eng- 
land, he sent a formal embassy to congratulate the new pope 
on his elevation. This mark of attention in Henry was highly 
pleasing to Adrian. A strict friendship arose between them 
and this encouraged the young king, whose ambition was 
boundless, to request a grand of the kingdom of Ireland from 
the pope. It was a flattering circumstance to him as pon- 
tiff, as it was acknowledging the power assumed by the see 
of Rome, of disposing of kingdoms and empires. lie, by 
this means, gratified the desire of aggrandizing his native 
country, added a fresh accession of wealth and power to 
Rome, and rendered a mighty prince one other tributaries. 

Such were the reasons that prevailed on Adrian to grant 
the kingdom of Ireland to Henry. 

And now as to Adrian being a beggar, I will. draw Irish's 
attention to the Lives of the Popes, approved by all bishops 
and priests, page 95. 

••Nicholas Breakspear was born at Abbot Langley in 
Hertfordshire, England. He was the son of a beggar, and 
lived on alms from the cannon of St. Ruf, near Avignon," 

Xiali not only quotes authority to prove beyond a doubt, 
but now he will draw on his reserve and satisfy Irish. Fa- 
ther Lavalle, in his brian Boroimne the Younger, page 23: 

"The republication of the bull granted by the pope made 



•' MALI, THE GRAND." 23 

a great impression upon the minds of the Irish, who, accus- 
tomed to a blind obedience to every mandate from Rome, 
refused on several occasions to fight the English and even 
surrendered their arms at the orders ofCardinal Vivian, the 
people legate, who forbid them under pain of excommunica- 
tion to use them against the English. 

Will " - Ii-i^l i*"' ask himself how it came to pass that the 
MacArthy (Garthy) of Desmond, was the first of the Minister 
princes, who swore fealty to the English monarch. Then 
Donald, kini;- of Thermond, and the prince of Ossary 
and Defies. How will "Irish" explain away the synod of 
Cashel, which was splendid and numerous. Resides the 
legate, there appeared the archbishops of Minister, Leinster 
and Connaught with their suffragans, and many abbots and 
inferior clergy. 

The bull of Adrian IV. was then produced. 

J now say that 1,773 men under Strongbow, Fitzgerald 
and Fitzmau rice could not conquer Ireland with the help of 
the traitor, Mac Murchad. 

Is there an Irishman living who will say the small Eng- 
lish army could conquer Ireland if they were not armed with 
these bulls of Adrian and Alexander. More authority, 
Fluery, Eccles. Hist., tome XYV, p. 323; O'Halloran p. 308. 

Alexander confirmed the donation of Adrian, in conse- 
quence of a request from the Irish clergy. 

Tin 1 bishop and clergy of Wexford ordered the surrender 
of the town to the British to stop the effusion of Christian 
blood, lias the church anything to do with this Irish sla- 
very is proven beyond a doubt of all except such as my 
'friend 1 'Irish/ 

Christian, bishop of Lismore, who had been for some 
time a Christian monk in the abbey of Clairvalle, under St. 
Bernard, was now constituted the pope's legate in Ireland, 
and in that capacity he presided at a synod held in the ab- 
bey of Mellifont in 1 1 57. 

Mortogh IV., monarch of Ireland, with many of the Irish 
princes, attended this assembly, at which Dunchad O'Me- 
laghlin, king of Meath, was excommunicated and deposed. 
and his territories given to his brother Dermond. 

The union of the Irish church with that of Rome seems 
now to have been completed, for we find that on the death 



I>4 '" NIALL THE GRAND. 

of Gregory, archbishop of Dublin, his successor, Lawrence 
O'Toole, was consecrated in Ireland; for before this, they as 
well as the prelates of Waterford and Limerick, as already 
hinted at, received their consecration from the archbishop of 
( Janterbury. 

One of the first objects of Henry II. after his arrival in 
this country was to obtain the sanction of the Irish clergy to 
his ambitious designs. • 

For this purpose a synod was convened in his name, 
which assembled al Cashel in 11.72, Christian, Bishop of 
Lismore, the Pope's legate presiding upon that occasion. 

Several of the English clergy attended on the part of 
Henry, and Brompton, abbot of Jerval in Yorkshire, in- 
forms us that the king received from every archbishop and 
bishop charters with their seals pendant, whereby they con- 
stituted him and for his heirs kings and lords ot Ireland for- 
ever; to which Roger Hoveden adds, that the king sent a 
transcript of these charters to Pope Alexander, who by his 
apostolic authority confirmed the kingdom to him and his 
heirs. 

Leland, however, expresses some doubt whether this was 
a general assembly of the clergy, adding that the Primate 
Gelasius certainly did not attend, excusing himself on ac- 
count of age and infirmities, and that the prelates of Ulster 
followed the example of their metropolitan; but Giraldus 
Camhrensis, in opposition to the Irish annalists, asserts that 
Gelasius came to Dublin soon after and gave his full assent 
to the transactions and ordinances of this synod. The pro- 
posed design of the king in convening this assembly was to 
fulfill the wishes of Pope Adrian, as expressed in his bull. 
Fitzgerald's Irish Antiquities, page 142. 

Mr. Editor, I am now prepared to clip a little of "J. Ii. 11 
in my next. I hope he will prove himself better metal, 
more truthful and manly, at least, and say something to in- 
struct. My next 1 propose to give to the cause of the 
quarrel between Henry, Becket and Adrian, all English- 
men, the feast of Easter, the Independence of the old Irish 
church for five hundred years. From 494 to 994, Ireland 
had no connection with Rome. 

Niall the Grand. 



" MAI. I. i ill-; GRAND." 25 

TYRO" TAKES A HAND. 



HE REVIEWS " M U.I. Till': GRANI)," " f KTSill*"' AND " IRISH 

AMI'.IMr \.\." 

Editors Daily Democrat. 

Grand Rapids, March 8, 1882. — Sirs: — It is not at all gra- 
tifying to men of Irish or any other nationality, to seethe 
manner in which 'Niall the Grand, 1 'Irish 1 and 'Irish Ame- 
rican' are carrying on their discussion. If I understand 
'Niall' correctly, what he wishes to demonstrate t<> us, and 
firmly believes himself, is, first, that the close connection 
which the popes of Rome maintain should exist between the 
spiritual and temporal authorities is detrimental to the ad- 
vancement of harmony and happiness, in Ireland particular- 
ly, and has been a stumbling block to Irish freedom and 
felicity for the last seven hundred } r ears; and secondly, that 
St. Patrick is a myth. What the object of 'Irish 1 is I wish 
himself would inform Us. 

T sincerely agree with 'Niall,' if he holds that religion and 
politics, bringing into consideration the many different 
shades of religious belief, should be practiced and adminis- 
tered separately, ami that a total separation of the tw r o would 
be advantageous to each and conductive to general good 
feeling. That the Roman Catholic church has been directly 
or indirectly the cause of nearly, if not quite, all the English 
inflicted misery of Ireland since the time of Pope Adrian 
the Fourth, can hardly be questioned by any man giving the 
subject anything like due and impartial investigation. That 
never to be forgotten bull of Adrian's to Henry the Second 
of England, authorizing that king to plunder Ireland, has 
caused much superfluous discussion. Our forefathers saw 
the effect it had produced, and we need not wonder that 
they, imposed upon as they were, were willing to believe 
Adrian or any pope of Rome incapable of committing so 
grievous a crime. However, there have alw T ays been in Ire- 
land those who would have shuddered at the thought of 
such a thought, had there appeared to them the least improb- 
ability of the authenticity of the bill that admitted Adrian's 
grant of Ireland to England. None will, I think, doubt the 
erudition of T. D. McGee, and he freely admits that Adrian 



26 u Nl Al.l. i III-: GRAND." 

presented ELenry with the document in question. The cele 
brated Catholic historian, Dr. Lingard, whose only incen- 
tive here could have been the love of truth, speaks thus of 
the matter: "To justify the invasion of a free and unof- 
fending people, his (Henry's) ambition had discovered that 
the civilization of their manners and the reform of their 
clergy were benefits which the Irish ought cheerfully to 
purchase with the loss of their independence. Within a few 
months after his coronation, John of Salisbury, a learned 
monk, was dispatched to solicit the approbation of Pope 
Adrian. The envoy was charged to assure his holiness that 
Henry's principal object was to provide instruction for an 
ignorant people, to extirpate vice from the Lord's vineyard, 
and to extend to Ireland the annual payment of Peter-pence, 
hut that, as every Christian island was the property of the 
holy see, he did not presume to make the attempt witboul 
the advice and consent of the successor of St. Peter. The 
pontiff, who must have smiled at the hypocrisy of this ad- 
dress, praised in his reply the piety of his dutiful son; ac- 
cepted and asserted the right of severeignty which had been 
so liberally admitted; expressed the satisfaction with which he 
assented with the king's request; and exhorted him to bear 
always in mind the conditions on which that assent had been 
grounded.'" T quote Lingard before all others because he 
is acknowledged by the strictest of Catholics as a historian 
of undoubted veracity and ability, and not at all likely to 
confirm an indelible stain on the character of Pope Adrian, 
his own countryman, for the mere love of falsehood — Adrian 
being, too, head of the church of which Lingard professed 
himself a sincere votary and devout priest. It is very prob- 
able that Adrian did not foresee, when he; granted Henry 
permission to civilize (?) Ireland, and abuse destined for the 
conditions on which that permission was given, for politics 
was not his forte, any more than that of all other ecclesias- 
tics. Adrian's conditional gift of Ireland to England must 
be considered the first and greatest of an indefinite series of 
ecclesiastical burdens imposed on that credulous island — 
every clerical interference in temporal affairs since that has 
proved a most bitter curse to it and its freedom, cost thous- 
ands of Irish money and shed hogsheads of English as well 
as Irish blood. There seems to be a fatality attached to all 



■' XI. W.I. THE GRAND. Z i 

priestly dabbling in politics, the meddling of even the patri- 
otic and holy Lawrence O'Toole went hand in hand with dis 
aster. Tt is admitted by all except those whom it most con 
ecms, that the pretentions of Romje to superiority in matters 
temporal as well as spiritual in Ireland were the principal 
weapons wielded by the soldiers and the undertakers since 
the introduction thither of the reformation. And the reasons 
why non-Catholics there today are so unanimously English 
in legislative ideas is they say and believe that home-rule 
means Rome-rule. 

Seeing that politics and religion are so different in nature, 
and that an inseparable union of them is equally incompati- 
ble to each, it is a complete mystery to a great many outside 
the priesthood why the Catholic church insists so inveterate- 
ly on continuing the union and on making one a mere tool 
for the other. The main object of Christ was to promote the 
general welfare of the human family, and to ameliorate the 
condition of every living creature, if. we are to judge, from 
his principal commandment, "Love your neighbor as your- 
self, or, l l)o unto others as you would have others do unto 
you.' He and his father would not certainly ordain that we 
should waste time and labor building churches and attend- 
ing services solely for the purpose of seeing us do so, as 
some of us on a cold day, would glory in witnessing a dog 
swim for a stick wantonly thrown into the river. The thi- 
lanthropic prop of Christianity is what supports it with such 
firmness and what, and not the sword and gibbet as in later 
days, gained for it its victories in early times over paganism. 
Whether right or wrong, a great many, Catholics and non- 
Catholics, are strongly impressed with the belief that 'dove 
one another" is the essential commandment and that all oth- 
ers are only tributary to it. 

This is my faith and I think something like the faith of 
Mall the Grand too, and T believe also that the order or in- 
stitution that wilfully retards human happiness or even the 
comfort of the brute is not indifferently Christian but a per- 
fect demon in the full meaning of that word. To wind up 
this matter I will say that while Ireland greatfully accept 
the alternate slaps of Rome and England as she does at 
present, she will be what she is. 

What object Niall has in asserting that St. Patrick is a 



28 " XIAI.I. THE GRAND. 

myth is something too hard for me to penetrate. He (St. 
Patrick) is said to have brought no army with him to scourge 
the inhabitants and no weapons but good-will toward man 
and the salutary precepts of Christianity, and so far as T can 
judge the simple doctrine introduced by him into Ireland was 
far from being the complex unintelEgable concern that some 
forms of Christianity to-day are. St. Patrick is believed by 
a large majority of our learned men to have lived and taught 
in Ireland, and to have been one of the most amiable of men. 
What then induces Niall to doubt his having existed? J. R. 
indulges in the opposite extreme affirmed that there were 
two or three St. Patricks. Bravo J. R. The more the better. 
Still it is all the same to J. R. and Niall, it would be highly 
pleasing to quite a few Irishmen if they compromise the mat- 
ter and give us for keeps, one respectable St. Patrick, in 
drinking to whose memory next seventeenth we can for a 
short time drown our sorrows. 

It is to be hoped that hereafter that Niall the Grand and 
Irish will take a more courteous mode of settling their grie- 
vances than applying to each other such adjectives as 
"scrurrilous," "ignorant,'' etc. 

By giving the above insertion in your valuable paper you 
will confer a favor oh a number of your readers. Thank- 
fully yours. , Tyro. 



ARTFUL POLICY OF THE ENGLISH GOVERN- 
MENT. 

it has been the policy of the English Government when- 
ever it meditated any great wrong against the Irish people 
to employ, first of all, some pliant priest to do the prepara- 
tory work. This was the trick of Henry II. No sooner 
had that monarch laid an evil eye on Ireland than he com- 
municated his design to Geraldus Cambrensis, a priest; 
and this Geraldus Cambrensis — at the express command of 
his royal master — immediately set to work to write a "His- 
tory of Ireland," a book full of lies from cover to cover. In 
this "History of Ireland" the Irish are described as a 
sa\age. murderous, and irreligious people. Transcripts of 
the book were made and sent all over Europe. The book 
was sent to Rome also. The aim of Henry II. was appar- 



" NTALL TMK OR V.ND. 29 

cut. [t was to create an opinion unfavorable to the good 
name of the Irish, so that, when he should undertake Ins 
invading enterprise, the act would find some show of pallia- 
tion. Listen to what Abbe MacGeoghegan (Hist. Ireland, 
p. 18) says: 

A PRIEST IX THE ENGLISH [NTEREST WRITES A LYING HISTORY OF 
IRELAND IN ORDER To FURTHER ENGLISH [NTRIGUE AT ROME. 

"Gerald Barry, a priest, and native of the country of 

Wales, in England, called in Latin, Cambria, (from whence 
is derived the name of Cambrensis, under which he is 
known.) was the first stranger who undertook to write the 
history of Ireland, in order to perpetuate the calumnies 
which his countrymen had already published against its 
inhabitants. Circumstances required that they should make 
the Irish pass for barbarians. The title of Henry the Sec- 
ond was founded only upon a bull obtained clandestinely 
from Pope Adrian the Fourth, an Englishman by birth. 
The cause of this bull was a false statement which Henry 
Iwad given to the Pope of the impiety and barbarism of the 
Irish nation. Cambrensis was then ordered to verify, by 
writing, the statement upon which the granting of the bull 
had been extorted. He did not fail to intermix his work 
with calumnies and groundless absurdities: however, the 
credit of a powerful king knew how to make even the court 
of Home believe them. It was in this spirit that Cambren- 
sis wrote his history, and from thence the English, authors 
have taken the false coloring under which ancient Ireland 
has been represented." 

Here we find that the first man who wrote a history of 
Ireland in the English interest — the first model and proto- 
type of Fronde in our clay — was a priest. The first agent, 
too, employed by the British Government at Rome in the 
English interest, and against Ireland, was a priest. His 
name is John of Salisbury. Hero is what the Nun of Ken- 
mare in her History of Ireland (p. 274) says of the transac- 
tion: — 

AN ENGLISH PRIEST IS SENT TO ROME To ASK IRELAND OF THE 
POPE AS A GIFT TO Till'. KING OF ENGLAND. 

"It has been already shown that ihe possession of Ireland 
was coveted at an early period by the Norman rulers of 
Great Britain. When Henry II. ascended the throne in 



30 "niall the grand." 

1154, ho probably intended to take the matter in hands at 
once. An Englishman, Adrian IV., filed the Papal chair. 
The English monarch would naturally find him favorable to 
his own country. John of Salisbury, then chaplain to the 
Archbishop of Canterbury, was commissioned to request the 
favor. No doubt ho represented his master as very zealous 
for the interests of religion, and made it appear that his sole 
motive was the good temporal and spiritual, of the barbarous 
Irish; at least this is plainly implied in Adrian's Bull. 1 ' 
We have pointed to these two unscrupulous priests working 
in the English interest. Were they unscrupulous because 
they were priests? Certainly not. But it is because they 
were priests — men wearing the cloak of religion — that 11 en- 
rv II. deemed them the fittest instrument to employ in fur- 
thering his unscrupulous design. 

Some one, perhaps, will tell us that this Bull of Adrian 
TV. is a forgery. Its authenticity has been denied by some 
few ecclesiastical orators of late; but denial is not disproof. 
Be this as it may, however, the plottings of the English king 
against the rights and liberties of the Irish people — and the 
iniquitous service rendered him by his English priests — are 
indisputable. But the Bull itself cannot be questioned. The 
story itself has the elements of probability . It is undeniable 
that the power of taking away the government of a country 
from one man and giving it to another man was claimed and 
exercised by the Pope in that age. It is shown that Henry 
TI. sought to influence Borne in his behalf in this transac- 
tion, and it is that he based his claim on that Bnll of Adrian 
TV. (Nun of Ken mare's History of Ireland.) 



TRSIITMEN LOOK AND REAP FOR YOURSELVES. 



MAYNOOTH <'« H.I.Ei m ENDOWED BY ENGLAND. 

And now the American revolution closed. Then arose the 
French revolution. This latter revolution was an uprising 
against the power of the aristocracy, and England — the most 
aristocratic nation in the world — trembled at the prospect. 
She feared these French Revolutionists woukFstir up the 
Irish. And s«> they did. Wolfe Tone, Napper Tandy, 
Lord Edward Fitzgerald, with others, had put themselves in 
communication with the French leaders, and were now ac- 



ik MALI. Tin: GRAND." 3] 

five in organizing an insurrection in Ireland. With this 
danger staring them in the face, the astute statesmen of 
England, abandoning their former policy of hostility to the 
Catholic Church, began to make friendly overtures to the 

Irish priests. Said these statesmen to the [rish bishops: 
"Why have yon not a college in Ireland for the training of 
priests? It doesn't look well to see ecclesiastial students go 
to France for their education. That's a, bad country, you 
know, for young Irishmen." So in 1795 Maynooth College 
was founded. It received a Government grant of $40,000 a 
year. After a while the Government grant was raised to 
$150,000 a year, not to speak of $300,000 expended by Gov- 
ernment, from time to time, by way of repairs on the col- 
lege. This appears very generous in the British Govern- 
ment. But the generous British Government knew right 
well what it was driving at. Speaking of this Mapnooth 
business, Sister Clare (History of Ireland, p. Ill,) says: — 

THE MAYXOOTH OR A XT A BEIBE FKOM THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT 
TO LOTALIZE THE IRISH PRIESTS. 

v - As the government had some apprehensions lest the 
Catholics should avenge themselves in any way for the du- 
plicity with which they had been treated [in the rejection of 
the Catholic claims] it was proposed to establish the College 
of Maynooth. The excuse to those who objected to grant- 
ing even the least favor to Catholics, had the advantages of 
being a plausible one. It was said that being educated 
abroad tended to render them [the priests] disloyal; and cer- 
tainly to deny a man's education in his own country, and 
oblige him to endure the labor and expense of expatria- 
tion in order to obtain it, was not naturally the best method 
of inducing affection for the power which compelled this 
course. 'It was, moreover, believed that if Government 
endowed Maynooth, the Irish hierarchy would feel bound 
in return to support Government. It was at least certain to 
all but the most obtuse that a rebellion was imminent in Ire- 
land, and this seemed a probable means of enlistening the 
Catholic clergy on the side of England.'" 
It was not to advance the Catholic faith, hut to crush Irish 
nationality, that the British Government gave its aid and 
support to Maynooth College. This is unquestionable. 
$150,000 a year is a big sum; but England didn't give away 



•°>2 u NIALL THE BRAND." 

this big sum for nothing. It was advance payment for loyal 
services to be performed. It was a bribe to the Irish bishops 
to hold Ireland — in co-operation with the British police and 
soldiery — a province of England. The millions of dollars 
expended by the English Government on Maynooth College 
have been well and fully repaired. Every student 
entering that college had first, before he conld be ordained 
priest, to take this oath: — 

THE MANOOTII OATH, 

IN WHICH EVERT PRIESTS SWEARS To DISCLOSE ALL TREASONS 
AGAINST THE ENGLISH SOVEREIGN. 

I. A B. do hereby declare that I profess the Roman Cath- 
olic religion. I. A. B. do cineerely promise and swear, 
that I will be faithful, and bear true allegiance to his Ma- 
jesty King George the Third, "and him will I defend to the 
utmost of my power AGAIN ST ALL CONSPIRACIES and 
attempts whatsoever that shall be made against his person, 
crown, or dignity; and I will do my utmost endeavor to dis- 
close and make known to Ins Majesty, his heirs, and suc- 
cessors, ALL TREASONS and traitorous conspiraces which 
may be formed against him or them; and I do faithfully 
promise to maintain, support, and defend, to the utmost of 
my power, the successor of the crown; which succession by 
an act, entitled an act for the further limitation of the 
crown, and the better securing the rights and liberties of the 
subject, is and stands limited to the Prince Sophia, Electress 
and Dutchess Dowager of Hanover, and the heirs of her 
body, being Protestants; hereby utterly renouncing and ab- 
juring obedience or pretending a right to the crown of these 
realms; and I do swear that I reject and detest as an un- 
christian and impious position, that it is lawful to murder or 
destroy any person or persons whatsoever, for or under pre- 
tence of their being heretics or infidels, and also that un- 
christian and impious principle that faith is not to be kept 
with heretics or infidels; and I further declare that it is not 
an article of my faith, and that I do renounce, reject, and 
abjure the opinion that princes excommunicated , by the pope 
and council, or by any authority of the see of Rome, or by 
any authority whatsoever, may be deposed or murdered by 
their subjects, or by any person whatsoever; and I do pro- 
mise that I will not hold, maintain, or abet any such opinion, 



" XJA1.1. THE (iKAM)." 33 

or any other opinion contrary to what is expressed in this 
declaration; and I do declare that T do believe that thePope 
of Rome, or any otherforeign prince, prelate, state or poten- 
tate, hath or ought to have any temporal or eival jurisdiction, 
power, superiority, or pre-eminence directly or indirectly, 
within this realm; and I do solemnly in the presence of God, 
profess, testify, and declare that I do make this declaration, 
and every part thereof, in the plain and ordanary sense of 
the words of this oath,, without any evasion equivocation, or 
mental reservation whatever, and without any dispensation 
already granted by the Pope, or any authority of the see of 
Home, or any person whatever and without thinking that I 
am, or can be acquitted before God or man, or absolved of 
this declaration, or any part thereof, although the Pope, or 
any other person or authority whatsoever shall dispense with 
or annul the same or declare that it is null or void — so help 
me God." 

England paid $150,000 a year to the Irish hierarchy— the 
trustees of Maynooth— on condition that the ecclesiastics 
educated there would act as spies and informers for England 
afterwards. This is the amount of the affair. Scores of no- 
ble young Irishmen— to their immortal honor be it said- 
crossed the seas and paid for their education in France, in 
Spain, or in some other country, rather than subscribe to 
this humiliating oath. This oath was continued down to the 
accession of the present monarch, Queen Victoria, and far 
into her reign. 



THE DESTRUCTION OF IRELAND'S PARLIAMENT. 
The next manoeuvre of the British Government was to rob 
Ireland of her Parliament. And in the accomplishment of 
this design English statesmen sought, and received, the aid 
of the Irish hierarchy. Lord Oastereach— in whose hands 
the Catholic bishops were but as so many children— was the 
prime wirepuller in this plot. Says the Nun of Kenmare 
(History of Ireland, p. 220):— 

SERVICE RENDERED BY THE IRISH BISHOPS TO ENGLAND IX HELP- 
ING TO CARRY THE "ACT OF UNION. 1 ' 

"It is to be regretted that the Catholic bishops, who 
worked for the Union, did not see some of the private cor- 
respondence in which they were mentioned, and did not 



• >4 "NIALL THE GRAND. 

hear some of the private conversations which have been re- 
corded, and sent down to posterity. Sir J. Hippisley, who 
was specially employed to cajole the Catholics, wrote to 
Lord Castlereagh: — 

''The Speaker told me, some time before, that Mr. Pitt 
had much approved the suggestions I had offered, with re- 
spect to the distinction and checks on the Monastic Clergy. 
Your lordship will permit me to quote a vulgar Italian pro- 
verb, which is this: — 'One must be aware of a bull before, 
of an ass at his heels, and of a frior on all sides. 1 Seven 
years' 1 experience on Catholic grounds convinced me that 
this adage was well imagined." 

"On the 5th of June, 1799, the Earl of Altaraont wrote 
from Westport House — 'The priests have all appeared to 
sign, and though I am not proud of many of them as associ- 
ates, I will take their signatures to prevent a possibility of a 
counter declaration. ' 

"On the 3d of June, 1799, Lord Castlereagh wrote to the 
Duke of Portland that the rebellion was managed by the in- 
ferior priests.' There were certainly some of the Catholic 
clergy who united with the rebels in self-defence, but a care- 
ful examination of the correspondence of the times will show 
at once that they were few in number, and that the Govern- 
ment relied much on the co-operation of the priests, even at 
the very time that many of them were being treated with in- 
human cruelty. On the 20th of July, 1799, Lord Cornwal- 
lis wrote to the Duke of Portland, that the clergy of the 
Church, particularly the superior, countenance the measure, ' 
and that the linen merchants of the north were much too 
busy with their trade to think much on the subject. " 

Lord Castlereach deemed Catholic support "absolutely 
necessary" to the success of his infamous project. He so de- 
clared himself. Quoting from some of his private letters. 
Sister Clare (p. 244) writes: — 

CASTEREAGH WORKING FOR CATHOLIC INFLUENCE TO CARRY THE 

UNION. 

"Lord Castlereagh wrote a 'most private 1 letter to the 
Right Honorable William Pitt, on the 1st of January, 1801, 
in which he puts the whole state of the case into the plain- 
est possible language, in which he showed how absolutely 
necessary the assistance of the Catholic bodv was in order t 



•' X1AI.I. THE (.i:\.\l). 35 

carry the union; and how he had been ordered to draw the 
Catholics on. The object was gained, and if there was not 
another "document in existence besides (his letter to show 
how shamefully the Catholics were duped, it would be more 
than sufficient. At last, and with considerable difficulty, 
the upper class of Catholics \i. e. the bishops, priests, and 
aristocracy] were made to understand how they had been 
treated. It might have been supposed that they had learn- 
ed a life-long- lesson, but there are persons on whom experi- 
ence is wasted." 



ENGLAND'S ATTEMPT TO ENSLAVE THE IRISH 
CHUKCH. 



At first England made war upon Ireland's nationality. 
Then England tore away her Parliament from Ireland. And 
now England comes forward, and, with unblushing audaci- 
ty, asks the Catholic bishops of Ireland to recognize the 
English king as the virtual head of the Catholic Church in 
Ireland; and will — the astounding revelation he delieved? 
— the four archbishops of Ireland, with six other bishops, 
trustees of Maynooth, — accepted the proposition! This they 
did after due deliberation in convention. Not only did they 
concede this, but they concented, furthermore that the 
priests of Ireland should be lowered to the level of pensioned 
officials of the British Government. McGee (Attempts to 
Establish the Protestant Reformation in Ireland, p. v 2s-|) 
tells of the transactions as follows: — 

The Irish Hierarchy consent that the English Government 
shall pension the Priests and have the right to veto can- 
didates for Bishops. 

"On the 17th, 18th and 19th of January, 177l>, the bish- 
ops who were Maynooth trustees, sat at Dublin, 'to delibe- 
rate on a proposal from Government for an independent pro- 
vision [?'. e. a pension] for the Roman Catholic clergy of Ire- 
land, under certain regulations not incompatible with their 
doctrine, discipline, or just influence.' A minute of this 
meeting, signed by the four archbishops and the Bishops of 
Meath, Cork, Kilclare, Elphin, Ferns, and Ardagh, was ap- 
proved and submitted to the ministers. The 'certain regu 



36 "niall the grand." 

lations' were, in a word, to control the appointment of bish- 
ops; to give Government 'a veto' on bishops elect. The ten 
prelates just mentioned agreed to lav before Government 
the names of the nominees, they undertaking to 'transmit 
the name of said candidate, if no objection be made against 
him, for appointment to the holy see, 1 within a month of re- 
ceiving it. Further, the prelates agreed. 'If Government 
have any proper objection against such candidates, the ] (re- 
sident of the election will be informed thereof within one 
month after the presentation, who, in that case, will con- 
vene the electors to the election of another candidate/ By 
this undertaking, Primate O'Reilly and the hierarchy, in. 
1799, granted to the state what [another] Primate O'Reilly 
and the hierarchy, in 1666, suffered exile and death rather 
than concede. Fortunately for the Irish church, the state 
neglected to conclude the compact at that time."' 

And here let us glance at the temporal evils inficted on 
the Irish people through this outrage done to Ireland's na- 
tionality. But the injury done to the Church itself was no 
less great. Says the Nun of Kenmare: — 

EVIL EFFECTS OF IRELAND'S SUBJECTION TO ENGLISH DOMINATION. 

"One fearful evil followed trom this Anglo-Norman inva- 
sion. The Irish clergy had hitherto been distinguished for 
the high tone of happily, were not so rich in this virtue, and 
their evil communication had a most injurious effect upon 
the nation whom it was supposed they should be so eminent- 
ly capable of benefiting." 

It will be seen now that neither Ireland nor true religion 
gained anything by the blow given to Ireland's nationality. 



THE CHURCH'S LOSS. 



In 1836 Bishop England estimated the Catholic population 
of this country at one million two hundred thousand. The 
total population of the United States then was fifteen 
millions. The number of persons lost to the church in fifty 
years preceding 1836 was, says Bishop Fngland, three 
millions and three quarters. 

"If I say." acids Dr. England, "upon the foregoing data, 
that we ought, if there were no loss, to have fire millions of 



" NIALL THE GRAND." .">T 

Catholics and that we have less !h<in one milUon and a 
qua/rter^ there must be a loss of" three millions and three 
quarters atleast: and flie persons so lost are found amongst 
the various sects to the amount of thrice the number of the 
Catholic population of the whole country." — (Works of 
Bishop England, vol. 3 page 12(5- 127) 

Bishop England did not attempt to estimate the loss of the 
hundred and fifty years preceding 1836. 

The Catholic population of the Unite States to-day is some 
ten million*. But the number of persons who ought to be 
( Catholics by right of descent from settlers in this country 
from the begining, and who to-day are to be found among 
the sects or in the ranks of Nothingarianism, is estimated at 
eighteen millions. — See Statistics and proofs in Irish World 
of July 25, 1874. 



WE ABE ALWAYS GUARDED. 



But the Catholic Englishman — we speak of the rule — is 
the cunning creature who always gives a bad name to Ire- 
land's patriots at Rome, and who, whilst using the Irish for 
Ins own purposes, despises the Irish in the depth of his 
heart. We have no pleasure in saying this. But this is the 
fact, and we cannot deny it. Listen to Father Burke. In 
his ''sermons and lectures," p. 219, Father Burke, speaking 
of Englishmen — even English Catholics his own personal 
friends — says: — 

"My friends, I know the English people well. Some of 
the best friends that I have in the world are in England. 
They have a great many fine qualities. But there is a se- 
cret, quiet, passive contempt for Ireland, and I really be- 
lieve it exists amongst the very best of them with very few 
exceptions. An Englishman will not, as a general rule, 
hate an Irishman joined to him in faith; but he will quietly 
despise us. If we arise and become fractious, then, per- 
haps, he will fear us; but, generally speaking, in the Eng- 
lish heart there is a contempt for Ireland and for Irishmen." 

Hear what the Sister of Care says of English Catholics. 
The English Catholic aristocracy— even at the time they 
needed the political aid of the Irish most, scorned to associ- 



38 " NIALL THE GRAND." 

ate witli them! Such was their utter contempt for the more 
Irish. Sister Clare (Life of O'Connell, p. 424) says:— 

CARACTEK OF THE ANGLO-CATHOLIC ARISTOCRACY — EVEN THE 
BEST OF THEM A MISERABLE SET. 

"We have already said something- of the political opinions 
of English Catholics. They made then the fatal mistake of 
dissociating themselves from their Irish brethren. We have 
seen how some of them were even willing to forego the 
name of Catholic, and their self-respect along with it, for the 
miserable imaginary advantage of a higher social respecta- 
bility. It is a matter of history, that the great majority — 
that, in fact, an overwhelming majority — of English Catho- 
lics apostatized from their religion to preserve their worldly 
goods. A noble few remained faithful, but the leaven of 
worldiness was at work even amongst these few. and they 
readily listened to any specious plea which would tend to 
lesson that isolation from their Protestant fellow-countrymen 
which they felt to be, and which was, a social bar sinister." 

In 1S29 O'Connell won Catholic Emancipation. It was 
the English Catholic aristocracy, and nor the Irish people, 
who gained anything by the measure. Yet when O'Connell 
began his Repeal movement the English Catholics became 
his most virulent enemies. In a letter written by Daniel 
O'Connell (November 9, 1873) to Archbishop Maellale, he 
sa} T s: — 

HOSTILITY' OF ENGLISH CATHOLICS TO IRISH. 

"Dr. England was with me yesterday; he gave me some 
strong evidence of hostility of the English Catholics to those 
of Ireland. He has promised to give it to me in writing, and 
I will send your grace a copy." 

The English Catholic is to Ireland to-day as he has ever 
been. Such is the experience of Father Burke. Such is 
the testimony of Bishop England. Such was O'ConnelFs. 
Such is the experience of every Irishman, Niall the Grand 
is not an exception. 

And now let me say with wealth and honors came in- 
trigues and conspiraces and plottings for place among church- 
men and princes, and general corruption in Church and 
State. A king would thrust a creature of his own into the 
Papal chair, and maintain him by force of arms. Sometimes 
Christendom would be scandalized at the spectacle of three 



" MALI. THE GBAND. ' 39 

anti-popes. Spain would recognize one, France another, and 
Germany a third. All these anti-popes would be fulminat- 
ing bulls and excommunications against one another. The 

minor priests, too, did as they liked. What was the result 
of all this? What does Church history tell? Slavery among 
the people; ignorance among the clergy; strifes among the 
bishops as to who should be first; rapacity and immorality 
amongst all classes; continual wars among rulers; and here- 
sies and schisms in the Universal Church. These were the 
fruits of ecclesiastical wealth and honors! Greece fell away 
from the Church. With Greece may be counted that im- 
mense country, Russia, which now numbers sixty millions 
of people. The churches of Asia Minor, of Egypt, and other 
parts of Africa, as well as of other countries, had long since 
rotted and perished. Then, in the sixteenth century, follow- 
ed Germany. Then Sweden. Then Norway. Then Eng- 
land. Then Scotland, with portions of France and Switzer- 
land. All these countries apostatized because the priesthood 
were corrupt and worldly. 

His eminence Cardinal Cullen, in his time, in his lenteh 
pastorals, denounced "-Sedition, Revolution, Fenianism, 
and Ribbonism," and orders that all persons connected in 
any way with those who hold meetings, balls, etc., in sup- 
port of such principles, shall be deemed by their spiritual 
directors thereby guilty of sin. This was a widespread and 
an astounding declaration against all of us who are laboring 
for a revolution, — that is, a change in the political and so- 
cial condition of four or five millions of Irishmen and women 
in Ireland. "Sedition!" If the word mean anything at all, 
it is the expression of people's dissatisfaction with some- 
thing that annoys, impedes, troubles, injures them. Lord 
Castlereagh, of glorious and pious memory, brought into the 
English parliament several acts to repress free speech, one 
of which was a bill to repress and punish Sedition, and "Se- 
dition' 1 was defined by this bill to be ' 'the uttering and pub- 
lishing of words tending to bring the Government and laws 
of the country into hatred and contempt." Well, there are 
the laws of England, operating in Ireland now for seven 
hundred years past, and you who speak in hatred and con- 
tempt of these laws, must have been committing sin against 
God all the time, and those Cardinals tells you there is for 



-I- 1 * " NIALL THE GRAND." 

you no sacramental forgiveness, unless you repent of the sin, 
and leave off speaking or writing, in hatred of the "laws'" 
which England has forced upon Ireland at the point of the 
bayonet. Revolution was also denounced by His Eminence 
as sinful. Now, 'revolution' means 'change;' for instance, 
the change or revolution which over hundred years ago con- 
verted the thirteen dependent colonies of England in North 
America into a glorious republic, as the "United States of 
America," into which ten or twelve millions of His Emi- 
nence's countrymen have expatriated themselves, escaping 
from Ireland and the horrors of its English governors as best 
they could, and finding, as the result of that change, homes, 
wages, education, religious and political liberty, free lands 
and free schools, to ask for which at home was deemed by 
Castlereagh and the Sidmouths of the day rank "sedition," 
a punishable crime, the same now being in the eyes of (lis 
Eminence Cardinal Cabe a punishable sin. Yet, there is no 
place on the habitable globe where the religion of His Emi- 
nence is more respected, better observed, and more sub- 
stantially supported than in that glorious republic. 

His Eminence condemned 'secret societies' as tending to 
generate immortality, sensuality, etc. It is a matter to cre- 
ate surprise that there are some secret societies in the world 
which have received the blessings of the Catholic Church 
through the precious hands of the Holy Father himself. For 
instance, King Alfonso was called to the throne of Spain a 
tew years ago by a thoroughly 'secret society' composed of 
grandees, generals, priests, lawyers, and others of the Span- 
ish aristocracy, and the head of that 'secret society,' as soon 
as they thought the "pear ripe 1 ' for proclaiming him king 
obtained the prompt blessing of the Holy Father. Don 
Carlos VII., of Spain, is head, also, of another 'secret so- 
ciety' in which many of the nobility and Catholic clergy of 
Europe are enrolled and are contributors, the object of 
which is to place Don Carlos by force of arms, even to the 
point of the bayonet, on the throne of Spain as ruler over an 
unwilling people, who prefer to rule themselves, and make 
their own laws without the assistance of such a red-handed 
legislator. His holiness on April 12, 1874, blessed the wife 
of Don Carlos on her safe delivery of a daughter, addressing 
congratulating her as "your Majesty" as King of Spain. 



" Nl.M.L THE CKA.NH." "H 

There was another "secret society" established in France 

in the year 1874 whose object it was to bring over the Count 
de Chambord to rule the French people on the good old 
plans that prevailed under the "white flag" of his Burbon 
ancestors; which plans, if restored, would compel! all the 
small lands proprietors of France, of whom there are six 
millions, to resign up their lands to the descendants of the 
old nobility of France the 'Emigres' of '89 '.93, and to became 
again their "tenants" and serfs, as in the good old times of 
the Louises. The Catholic Bishop of Orleans, and the 
Catholic Archbishop of Paris, commanded all their cures to 
call from their pulpits upon their various congregations, on 
the holy Sabbath, to pray to God for the restoration of 
the Bourbon King. That was another 'secret society 1 which 
the Church did not condemn. All this appears irreconcilable 
with Cardinal MeGabe, dicta. Is there liberty in the Church 
tor kings, lords, and bishops to conspire secretely to effect 
their purposes; and is this liberty denied, and punished by 
exculsion from religious sacraments, in the common people, 
who toil to produce the wealth which the others may appro- 
priate by laws of their own making? Can this be regarded 
as the equities of religion? 

The Fenians are condemned by their Eminence Cullen 
and McCabe in heir pastoral. Now the ten who denounce 
the Irish World in Cincinnati are of the same type. 

Why? The Fenians conceived that a change 
was required in the laws—in their making and their 
administering in Ireland. A conception growing from cen- 
turies of misrule— centuries of landlord oppression — growing 
from the destruction of two hundred and forty thousand 
peasant dwellings, the quenching of two hundred and forty 
thousand hearth-fires in Ireland within the last twenty years, 
and the scattering of millions of men and women and chil- 
dren of Ireland over all parts of the globe, by forcible evic- 
tions from their homesteads, even by the aid of the police 
and army. The Fenians conspired to overthrow the heart- 
less men who compassed and effected those national outrages. 
They did some of the work which they contemplated— they 
they broke down forever religious ascendency in Ireland. 
The Irish Church establishment is gone, never to return, 
and it was abolished by the Fenians, and by the Fenians 



42 " MALI, THE (iKAM)." 

alone. An incision lias been made in the Land Monopoly, 
which will be widened, day by day, hereafter. Instead of 
gratitude for this, the Fenians have curses loud and deep; for 
did not Cardinal Cullen excommunicate them from his 
Church, and has not Bishop Moriarty judged them — yes 
judged them — and condemned them to hell, regretting that 
hell was not hot enough, nor eternity long enough, to inflict 
sufficient punishment! 

The whole career of Cardinal Cullen as Archbishop and 
Cardinal in Ireland has been singularly marked by opposi- 
tion to every effort and aspiration of the Irish people to re- 
lieve themselves from the galling tyranny, and now Cardinal 
McCabe, his blood relation, does the same service. Oh! 
Irish. 



OATH OF THE EMANCIPATED CATHOLIC 
OFFICE-SEEKER. 



"I. A. B., do sincerely promise and swear that I will be 
faithful and bear true allegiance to his Majesty King George 
the Fourth, and will defend him to the utmost of my power 
against all conspiracies and attempts whatever which shall 
be made against his person, crown, or dignity; and 'I will 
do my utmost endeavor to disclose and make known to His 
Majesty, his heirs and successors, all treasons and traitorous 
conspiracies' which may be formed against him or them; and 
I do faithfully promise to maintain, support, and defend, to 
tin* utmost of my power, the succession of the Crown, which 
succession, by an act entitled 'An Act for the further limi- 
tation of the Crown, and better securing the rights and li- 
berties of the subject,' is and stands limited to the Princess 
Sophia, Electress of Hanover, and the heirs of her body, be- 
ing Protestants, hereby utterly renouncing and abjuring any 
obedience or allegiance unto any other person claiming or 
pretending a right to the crown of these realms; and I do 
further declare that it is not an article of my faith, and that 
1 do renounce, reject, and abjure the opinion that princes 
excommunicated or deprived by the Pope, or any other 
authority of the See of Rome, may be deposed or murdered 
by their subjects or by any person whatsoever; and I do de- 
clare that 1 <]<> not believe that the Pope of Rome, or any 



" XIAI.I. 'Ill i: GRAND.' 1 43 

other foreign prince, prelate person, state, orpotentate, hath 
or ought to have any temporal or civil jurisdiction, power 
superority, preeminence, directly or indirectly, within this 
realm. I do swear that I will defend to the utmost of my 
power the settlement of property within this realm, as estab- 
lished by the laws; and I do hereby disclaim, disavow, 
and solemnly adjure any intention subvert the present 
Church establishment as settled by law within this realm: and 
I do solemnly swear that I never will exercise any privilage 
to whch I am or may become entitled, to disturb or weaken 
the Protestant religion orprotestant government in this king- 
dom: and I do solemnly, in the presence of God profess, 
testify, and declare that I do make this declaration, and 
every part thereof, in the plain and ordinary sense of words 
of this oath without any evasion, equivocation, or mental 
reservation whatsoever. " 

The heart of Erin everywhere to-day 
Throbs with the magic of a mighly love; 
"God bless his life and death, 11 the millions pray, 
"And crown him with celestial light above!" 
Aye, take him to your hearts, ye exiled band. 
For who more worthy of the love of Gael 
Than he whose name is blest in every land — 
True patriot-priest, immortal John MacHale! 
Sursym corda, (Be not disheartened.) 

N. T. G. 
Grand Rapids, April 10th, 1882. 



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